$1 Million Investment Generates $65 Million In Fees Paid By County Residents

Legislator Robert Trotta is angry, frustrated and determined to speak out about Suffolk County’s policy of using fees to fund the general budget, a policy he claims are hidden taxes. Trotta, joined by legislators Cilmi, Kennedy and Muratore held a press conference Wednesday, October 25th in which he ripped into the Bellone administration and Democrats in the legislature for using real estate transactions as revenue generators to fund the county’s budget.

On Tuesday, October 24 the Government Justice Center filed a lawsuit challenging the County’s practice of charging fees in excess of the cost of the service. In particular they point to a new fee (2017) being assessed by the county called the Real Estate Transaction Fee. The basis for the lawsuit according to the Government Justice Center is, “ Under state law, fees charged must not exceed the cost of the service.” 

Jason Elan speaking for the Bellone admistration stated, “This is a politically motivated lawsuit filed by Albany insiders who lack any understanding on how government costs are apportioned yet have no problem saddling taxpayers with the cost of fighting this completely frivolous complaint.”

Suffolk County Clerk Judith Pascal, speaking at the press conference, stated that she advised the Bellone administration in a letter dated October 3, 2016 of her opposition to the new fee. Pascal’s letter gives a historical analysis of a Mortgage Satisfaction Filing which is due when paying off a mortgage “was $80.50 in 2010 and has since increased to $255.50. Should this “Mortgage Fee” increase be approved, filing an identical document in 2017 would cost Suffolk residents $575.50.” The legislature approved the fee and the program is set to generate $65,000,000 for a program that costs $1,000,000 to run.

The problem according to Trotta  is that “Steve Bellone and the Democratic majority have hid behind raising taxes so they can spend like drunken sailors.”

Those at the podium concurred that the county has a spending problem. Leslie Kennedy suggested that there is a difference between wants and needs and emphasized that the county get back to focusing on the issues of “health, safety and infrastructure.” 

Cilmi, said the poster boards surrounding the speakers did not include all fees and named impact assessment fees, parks and recreation fees and cremation fees as additional fees that residents are forced to pay. ”The administration continues to be cavalier in the assessment of these fees and they have all been rubber stamped by the democratic majority in the legislature.”

“If Rob Trotta and other legislators care that deeply, they should stop complaining and simply do their jobs.  We will work with any legislator of any political party that puts forth a credible alternative to any existing county fee, but this stunt shows once again that Rob Trotta is only interested in playing politics.” said Elan.

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Trotta responded to the Elan’s statement by saying he can point to hundreds of areas where the county is misspending taxpayer dollars he rattled off a few ” a $150,000 guardrail replacement project, hiring an architect to design a plain white addition for the property section of a police building and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Wyandanch Rising Project. 

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Despite the harsh rhetoric Republican legislators said they would like to work with the Democratic majority to reduce spending and according to Legislator Muratore address Suffolk County’s opioid crisis.